bandaged the wound with a cotton cloth.
‘You will need to change that every second day, foreigner,’ said the doctor pointing at the
bandage. ‘The royal doctor in Devagiri will be able to do it for you. And don’t let this area get
wet for a week. Also, avoid the Somras for this period since you will not be able to take a
complete bath.’
‘Oh he doesn’t need the Somras,’ joked Brahaspati. ‘It’s already done all the damage it can
on him.’
Shiva and Brahaspati collapsed into helpless laughter again as the doctor walked away,
shaking his head in exasperation.
‘But seriously,’ said Brahaspati calming down. ‘Why would they attack you? You have not
harmed anybody’
‘I don’t think the attack was on me. I think it was for Sati.’
‘Sati! Why Sati? That’s even more bizarre.’
‘It probably wasn’t specifically for Sati,’ said Shiva. ‘I think the target was the royal family.
The primary target was probably the Emperor. Since he wasn’t there, they went for the
secondary target, Sati. I think the aim was to kidnap a royal and use that person as leverage.’
Brahaspati did not respond. He seemed worried. Clasping his hands together and bringing
them close to his face, he looked into the distance, deep in thought. Shiva reached into his
pouch and pulled out his chillum, before carefully filling it with some dried marijuana. Brahaspati
turned to look at his friend, unhappy at what he was doing.
‘I’ve never told you this before Shiva and I probably shouldn’t as, well... since you are a free
man,’ said Brahaspati. ‘But I consider you my friend. And it is my duty to tell you the truth. I
have seen some Egyptian merchants in Karachapa with this marijuana habit. It’s not good for
you.’
‘You’re wrong, my friend,’ said Shiva, grinning broadly. ‘This is actually the best habit in the
world.’
‘You probably don’t know, Shiva. This has many harmful side effects. And worst of all, it
even harms your memory, causing untold damage to your ability to draw on past knowledge.’
Shiva’s face suddenly became uncharacteristically serious. He gazed back at Brahaspati
with a melancholic smile. ‘That is exactly why it is good, my friend. No idiot who smokes this is
scared of forgetting’
Shiva lit up his chillum, took a deep drag and continued, ‘They are scared of not forgetting.’
Brahaspati stared sharply at Shiva, wondering what terrible past could have prompted his
friend to get addicted to the weed.
singke
(singke)
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